Pioneer PDP-5020FD 50" KURO 1080p Plasma

Franz Bicar - Franz has worked in telecoms and consumer electronics for over 10 years, working in quality control, allowing him to get his hands on the latest gadgets. He’s been writing reviews on these for over 5 years now, as well as news and blogging with a number of online publishers.February 16, 2009 10:00 am

Now that Pioneer has officially exited the HDTV market, let’s take a look at one of its plasmas – call it a legacy to Pioneer fans. With the Pioneer PDP-5020FD, you can open your eyes to a world where black levels are so black, they disappear into an infinite abyss. Colors are so pure, they gush with their own emotions. Prepare yourself for a world built on an uncmopromising attention to detail in extraordinary, beautiful new ways. Brace yourself for a home entertainment experience that will change the way you look at TV forever.

This is a universe composed of 2 million pixels, shuttling you to a place where images are too big to be seen any other way than on a 50″ screen. And when you connect a Blu-ray Disc player to any of the 4 independent HDMI inputs, you will truly transcent to another place. A place where uncompromising attention to detail delivers an experience that will change the way you see, hear and feel.

Find out for yourself how a detachable bottom speaker with an integrated digital amplifier delivers improved clarity and accuracy of sound. It’s a world with a home media gallery feature that allows you to view photos in a stunning new way. See for yourself what happens when sight and sound come together in the most extraordinary, beautiful and amazing of ways.

Lots of new technology went into the beautiful PDP5020FD. A plasma cell structure with improved crystal emissive layer was redesigned for more intense black levels with added detail while a new filter enhances contrast in bright environments. ASIC video processing and scaling provide the ultimate in standard definition and high definition video performance.

The detachable bottom speaker with an integrated digital amplifier adds improved clarity and accuracy of sound. There’s an Optimum Video Mode which features an optical light sensor for automated adjustment of picture in both varying light conditions and by program content such as movies, news, sports, etc. And the new Advanced PureCinema Mode eliminates motion judder in 3:3 Pulldown (72Hz) providing natural, even playback of content created on or from film.

Four independent High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) 1.3 inputs with HDMI-CEC control and the ability to accept 1080p 24/60Hz signals assure that the best video signal is always sent from the source (HDTV signal, DVD player) to the PDP6020FD’s display. HDMI does this by allowing uncompressed video and multi-channel audio data to be input directly to the display device through a single cable. There’s also a USB input and a PC input to use your PDP5020FD as a computer monitor, an optical digital audio output, and even a subwoofer output.

The PDP5020FD provides 7 options with its A/V Selection Memory feature to match your viewing preferences. These include Performance, Optimum, Dynamic, Movie, Game, Sports, and Standard modes. There are also 9 options for aspect ratio control and after-image reduction functions that make the most of the 50 inches of screen. Picture Detail Settings let you make adjustments to black level and enhancement, among other things.

There are even various settings for digital noise reduction, color temperture and other technologies to help you fine-tune the picture. Advanced Picture-in-Picture options, Picture-side-Picture lets you watch two programs at once, or, let’s say, pro football on HDTV alongside fantasy football on your PC. Still picture capability lets you plug your PC into the PDP5020FD’s USB input and enjoy your digital slideshow on the big screen.

Film doesn’t translate directly to a format that a TV can process. To display a movie on film, 6 frames per second (fps) must be added to the film’s original 24 fps to equal 30 fps, the video format. Called 3:2 pulldown, this interpolation process improves NTSC reproduction of film-based material, but generates uneven motion known as jitter.

Pioneer developed Advanced Pure Cinema to eliminate jitter. This exclusive technology enables 3:3 pulldown, which synchronizes perfectly the frame rate of film and eliminates the need for interpolations. Now, your film-based material on DVD, videotape, and regular TV will match the smooth, natural reproduction of film.

Comments in chronological order (1 comment)

Outstanding picture quality, and probably the best SD picture you can find or have ever found from an HDTV. The performance is excellent. It certainly has better image quality than my Sony LCD, both when watching movies (due to the excellent contrast), and when watching fast moving basketball.